Let the coaching carousel begin. http://www.swishappeal.com/2015/3/9/8177235/breaking-news-kansas-has-fired-bonnie-henrickson
Too bad. I liked her, but I like the the fact that the university didn't sugar coat it. They want a program that ranks at the top of the Big 12 and not the bottom and that hasn't happened.
Everyone wants to be at the top but there is only so much room. However, given her track record, this was only a matter of time.
I liked her too and think she was a good coach, but just couldn't consistently get the caliber of players she needed to compete with the top teams in the league. But she can be proud of those back-to-back Sweet 16's in 2012 and '13, esp 2012. They were looking so strong early on and Carolyn Price was dominating the league stat categories, and then they lose her for the year. The Jayhawks dropped all the way to 9th in the conference standings at one point, but pulled it back just enough at the end to nab an invite...and then made a nice run. Ironically they have 3 Hoopgurlz top 100 players coming in this Fall, should be a nice group for the new coach to develop, and build upon.
11 seasons without a winning season in Big 12 play. You can't say Kansas didn't give her time. This year the Jayhawks won only one more game in conference than a Texas Tech team that could have been called "The Replacements" as Coach Whittaker replaced more than half her roster. KU lost 3 games more in conference than a TCU team with a new head coach and no Big 12 ready post player. As far as I can tell, Coach Henrickson is generally well regarded. I expect she will be employed somewhere if she wants to be.
Yes, I liked her, too, but heard at the B12 Tny she was on her way out...I think there is SO much competition for the good players in the Big 12, it is HARD to get a really good team together....thank God Texas has got that pipeline moving!
North Texas fires Karen's successor: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/03/breaking-news-petersen-out-at-unt.html/
Bonnie has been named the new HC at UCSB, a pretty solid program that just suffered back-to-back dismal seasons. From 1992-2012, the Gauchos made 14 of a possible 20 NCAA tournaments, including the Sweet 16 in 2004 (where they lost to eventual champion UCONN, and were the only team to hold the Huksies to single-digits during the tourney). But they went 8-22 in 2014, and 2-27 this season. Ouch. Trading Lawrence, KS for Santa Barbara, CA; pretty sweet deal if you ask me!
